Routine
by Chesra Talasei
Summary: it’s become a part of life. [SenRu]


_**Routine**_

_**xxx **_

Summary: it's become a part of life. SenRu

**_xxx_**

Sendoh likes to fish in the pier. It his favorite pastime; perhaps he enjoys it even more than basketball. It is calming and seemingly easy to do. Sendoh spends most of his weekends fishing.

Rukawa cycles around town when he's bored, or when he wants to get some sleep and his neighbors aren't giving him his precious nap time. He follows a certain route. He passes by the pier every Sunday.

At one point in life, Sendoh gets used to seeing a raven-haired boy sleeping in his bicycle going by when he's fishing. Sometimes, he finds himself looking out for Rukawa at about 10:42 AM.

Rukawa thinks he sees a spiky-haired idiot with a small pail and a fishing rod near the waters, but maybe he's just hallucinating.

The first twenty-seven times, Sendoh doesn't acknowledge Rukawa. On the twenty-eighth, he waves hello.

Rukawa blinks in a stupor before hitting a nearby tree.

Sendoh tries again next week. This time, Rukawa raises his eyebrow and blithely pedals on.

Apparently, idiots don't give up, because the following Sunday, Sendoh says 'hello' with his wave.

After three weeks of this, Rukawa gives an awkward nod of response, and goes on with his life.

The next Sunday, Sendoh is waiting for Rukawa on the street. He smiles and asks him if he wants to go fishing.

Rukawa shrugs, thinking he doesn't have anything better do, anyway, and gets off his bike and follows Sendoh to go fishing.

By the time afternoon comes, they haven't caught a single fish and Rukawa has fallen asleep.

Sendoh smiles, taps him carefully on the shoulder, and waves goodbye.

Rukawa stands up, goes to his bike, and goes home.

This cycle repeats for quite some time. Eventually, Sendoh doesn't have to wave at Rukawa for him to go sit next to him. Rukawa goes with his own free will. Eventually, Rukawa gets used to the heat of the sun as he curls up near the pail, sleeping with the smell of the sea not so far away. Sendoh starts bringing a blanket. Rukawa starts bringing lunch. Sendoh wonders if Rukawa is secretly plotting to kill him with the inedible food. Rukawa glares at him.

It's like a picnic, but not really.

xxx

The first time Rukawa actually saw Sendoh catch a fish was one Sunday when Sendoh was so preoccupied that he didn't even notice the Shohoku ace approach.

Sendoh pulls at the fishing rod so hard that he falls backwards, right into Rukawa, and the two fall onto the ground. The fish goes flying in the air.

"Oh, hi," Sendoh greets dazedly, noting that the sky has Rukawa's face now. "Where's the fish?"

As if in answer, the fish fell straight into Sendoh's face.

When Sendoh has taken the fish out of his face, cursing, he caught sight of something more valuable.

There was slight smile on Rukawa's lips.

Sendoh grinned.

xxx

Rukawa has fallen asleep, again, and he's curled up near Sendoh. Sendoh looks over his peaceful face and he's surprised that Rukawa can fall asleep so easily.

Suddenly, there's a pull at Rukawa's rod, and Sendoh wakes him up. The boy glares at him, but Sendoh is too excited. "Reel it in!" he says. Rukawa gives him another glare before the pull gets more incessant, and Rukawa has to stand up.

The fish surfaces, and it's just a small one.

Sendoh is visibly disappointed. "Oh well. It's your first catch, anyway."

Rukawa takes the small fish, and then throws it back into the sea. Sendoh blinks. "Didn't you like it?"

"He should grow a bit more," Rukawa says softly. "I'll catch him then."

xxx

Sendoh likes to talk while he's fishing. He talks about his parents, his school, his classmates. Rukawa just nods off as he babbles.

Sendoh wakes him up when they're done fishing. "You're a great listener, you know?" and there's a slight smile on his face.

Rukawa wonders what he means by that.

xxx

Sendoh is looking forward to Sunday too often. Strangely, seeing Rukawa has become a normal thing. Who knew?

Sendoh starts drawing little fishes and kitsunes in his notebook. When Koshino comments on it, Sendoh just smiles that smile of his and says that Sunday is his favorite day.

His teammates think he's gone slightly mad, but then again, that's normal Sendoh for you.

xxx

Sometimes, Rukawa finds himself dreaming of fish and the sea and spiky hair. It's funny, because it's not Sunday and he shouldn't even be thinking of this right now.

He wonders if Sendoh is there on days other than Sunday, but then that would be silly. Sendoh has school. He wouldn't be there. But what about Saturdays? Would he be there? With someone else?

Should he stop asking silly questions and go back to sleep?

Rukawa sighs and buries his face in his pillow, wishing Sendoh would get out of his head.

He'll see him on Sunday.

xxx

There's no school on Friday, because the stupid do'aho has blown up the chemistry lab and set the school on fire. Rukawa finds himself cycling around the town for a long time.

Eventually, he ends up in the pier again.

Sendoh isn't there, as expected.

Rukawa gets off his bike and sits down in the pier, inhaling the scent of his dreams.

"Looks like you're here, too."

He looks up to sees the face in his dreams.

Sendoh smiles, then plops down next to him. He puts his arm around Rukawa, and Rukawa doesn't mind at all.

Rukawa falls asleep into Sendoh's arms, and he's not surprised to wake up in somebody else's bed. He stands up to leave the house.

"See you tomorrow," is the first thing Sendoh says before going back to sleep.

Rukawa just nods, knowing that Sendoh doesn't see it.

xxx

He's late. Sendoh's not there yet.

Rukawa wonders why he's worried, and why he's looking for that stupid guy in the first place. He has a lot of other things to do, so why is he spending his time waiting for some idiot who can't even bother to show up?

He wonders why he's annoyed, or why he feels betrayed.

He doesn't understand why he decides to wait there all afternoon for some guy who never came.

Rukawa goes home eventually, cursing himself and that jerk.

xxx

It's Monday and basketball practice as usual, but Rukawa's playing is off, and everyone notices. Sakuragi says some crap about Rukawa losing his touch, but Rukawa is too absorbed in worrying and hating some other idiot to deal with another.

Kogure later on asks worriedly if he's okay. Rukawa just waves it off.

When practice is over, Rukawa heads out of the Shohoku gym, intent of forgetting what happened yesterday altogether.

He freezes, though, when Sendoh shows up in front of the Shohoku school, smiling like the idiot he is.

Rukawa walks right past him but Sendoh grabs his arm, and asks him if he wants to go watch a movie. He won two tickets, he said, and it was too good to waste. Please come?

He doesn't know what possesses him to nod and say yes.

xxx

They still have their Sunday routine in place, and they never talk about that one Sunday when Sendoh didn't to show up.

But Sendoh isn't a guy who'll settle for just one day of the week, and now he randomly shows up in Shohoku to pick Rukawa up. Rukawa can't figure out a pattern. Perhaps Sendoh is being spontaneous as he always is.

It's slightly different, but Rukawa doesn't mind.

xxx

Rukawa doesn't remember how things got this way, but now he knows Sendoh's favorite food, color and band. He knows where Sendoh lives and he even has Sendoh's number on speed dial. Sakuragi off-handedly comments on how much time the kitsune spends with Sendoh.

Rukawa misses the shot and spaces out for the rest of practice.

xxx

It rains later on that night.

Rukawa finds himself staring outside the window, thinking of the sea.

Someone knocks on his door, and when Rukawa opens it, he's only half-surprised to see Sendoh there, still grinning and sopping wet.

"You'll get the house dirty."

He shrugged. "So lend me a towel."

Dutifully, Rukawa goes off in search for one, and returns to find Sendoh dripping all over his kitchen, making hot chocolate. Rukawa scowls and throws the towel at him. Sendoh catches it with practiced ease, and smiles.

"You didn't expect me to stay out there in the rain, did you?"

Rukawa doesn't reply. Instead, he grabs the mop and starts cleaning.

After that, they drink hot chocolate in silence.

xxx

Later on, Sendoh says he has to go home and stands up. Rukawa walks him out to the door.

Sendoh turns around and says goodbye.

Rukawa nods in reply.

Sendoh leans in to kiss him, and Rukawa kisses back.

xxx

That becomes part of their routine, too.

xxx


End file.
